The cold temperatures of the polar vortex have made their way to Southwest Missouri in the way of dipping into the single digits; 7f (-14c) in Ozark this morning. We had a little bit of snow last night, as well.
I was up early today for a breakfast meet, but the weather caused some local school/daycare closings so my breakfast partners were unable to make it.
No worries. I've had a productive morning.
Coffee, quiet, computer.
Life is good.
I've been thinking about a little something different in the way of posting for Haiku February. At first I was thinking of doing a devotional haiku each day. I kind of enjoyed the daily devotional through The Gospel According to John over the past few weeks. I imagine that trying to summarize a chapter of Matthew's gospel into a three line haiku will be a little challenging, but I think I'll give it a shot. I may have to use more than a single haiku on occasion. I don't know.
In any case, while the daily devotional was good for me and served a purpose other than just writing, it didn't do much for blog traffic. Posting daily vs. my usual sporadic posts always helps with readership, but this time -- not so much.
And that's okay. I try to keep in mind that I started writing just to get in the habit of writing and the blog has always been more of a place to spill thoughts out of my head (or Out of My Hat) than any thing else. I don't get paid for anything based on readership or ad clicks, so other than the ego boost, it doesn't really matter.
I'll post a link to the bible chapter each day so you can read it. Then you can see if the haiku gives a decent representation of the chapter. If you'd like, you can leave your own haiku in the comments.
I have to admit that I've found daily haiku writing to be a challenge the past couple of Februaries, so I'm not sure if this is going to work out well. We shall see.
John <><
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
It's Almost February
And that means Haiku month!
National Haiku Writing Month -- NaHaiWriMo
As has been my February habit, I'll be posting Haiku poems for the month. I hope that you will consider doing the same. You may use other media to post yours (like Facebook or Twitter) or you can post one daily in the comments of this blog.
February also brings baseball!
Pitchers and catchers will be in spring training camp in just a couple of weeks and then the other players will join them. I can't wait to watch some baseball (and enjoy a ballpark dog or two)!
The cold of a polar vortex will not diminish the excitement of the coming baseball season.
It's almost time!
John <><
National Haiku Writing Month -- NaHaiWriMo
As has been my February habit, I'll be posting Haiku poems for the month. I hope that you will consider doing the same. You may use other media to post yours (like Facebook or Twitter) or you can post one daily in the comments of this blog.
February also brings baseball!
Pitchers and catchers will be in spring training camp in just a couple of weeks and then the other players will join them. I can't wait to watch some baseball (and enjoy a ballpark dog or two)!
The cold of a polar vortex will not diminish the excitement of the coming baseball season.
It's almost time!
John <><
Monday, January 28, 2019
Backtracking to John 3 and The Bronze Serpent
I'm writing this on Monday morning and I'm relaxing after a pretty good weekend.
Yesterday morning I made it to early service at The Venues and dropped off some hand warmers and foot warmers for our homeless friends as well as a bag of groceries for the food drive. Participating in the community service projects at The Venues is one of the things I like best about the place.
After dropping my stuff off at the proper places, I enjoyed the morning worship and Rev Dev's take on the classic children's story of Noah and the Ark.
Since we're in a series that takes the stories we heard as children and puts a more adult spin on them, be prepared to have your understanding of the biblical story challenged if you choose to listen to it here.
After 1st service I joined the welcome crew and volunteered to greet people as they came in for the 2nd service and then joined the high school kids for their class. Part of the class recapped the Gospel of John daily devotion and part of it addressed some of their questions about God, about suffering in the world, about choices and consequences, etc. Hopefully some of the other stories of the bible helped them to better understand God.
Speaking of other stories of the bible...
I want to backtrack to John 3. In verses 14 and 15, Jesus says, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."
To understand what he was talking about we have to go back to a story told in the Old Testament Book of Numbers. You can read it for yourself here or I can give you my take on it.
It seems that the Israelites were getting pretty tired of the whole wilderness wandering thing and began to gripe about it to Moses. "Why'd you have to bring us out here to die? We could have stayed in Egypt. It's the frickin' desert, for cryin' out loud! There's no water, no food, and we are tired of this worthless manna stuff!"
So God gets a little ticked at the ungrateful brats and sends poisonous snakes into the camp. People get bitten by the snakes and they die. Now the people are crying out to Moses, "We're sorry! We're sorry! Tell God we're sorry so he'll take the snakes away!"
Moses intercedes and God tells him to make a bronze snake, put it on a pole, and set it in the middle of the camp. If anyone gets bitten by a snake, all they have to do is look at the bronze snake and they'll live.
That's it. That's the story.
I wonder how that worked out for them. I know I'm a little weird, but I wonder about a couple of things...
First, I notice that God didn't do what the people asked by taking away the snakes. It seems they still had to deal with the pain and fear of getting attacked and bitten by the snakes. God did provide a way for them to escape the consequences of the bite. They didn't have to die.
Second, that's a pretty bizarre way to deliver them from the death sentence of a snake bite. I wonder if there were Israelites that died because they just didn't believe that looking at a snake statue could save them? Or maybe there were people that never heard about the snake in center of the camp and so they died. I mean this is a big camp -- a few million people! And it's not like they had group text available to them or could Google "How not to die from a snake bite."
In my weird head, I see a couple of scenarios playing out in the camp city of the Israelites.
Scene 1
Two men walking through the camp.
Yosef: Hey, I heard that Saul got bitten by a snake last night.
Samuel: Oh crap! Has anyone told him about the snake statue by the Tabernacle?
Yosef: Surely, he knows, right?
Samuel: I don't know. It's pretty new news. Why don't you swing by his tent and check. I would but it's a little too far out of my way.
Yosef: Man, I've got to get this manna home so my wife can fix breakfast for the kids. I'm sure one of of his neighbors or other friends have told him.
Samuel: Yeah, you're probably right.
Saul dies in his tent, never having heard about the saving power of the bronze snake.
Scene 2
A man lies on his bed, dying from a snake bite. He is in agony and afraid of dying.
A couple of friends burst into his tent with a stretcher made of skins and poles and begin to move him from his bed to the stretcher.
Dying man: What are you doing? Leave me alone! Can't you see I'm dying?
Friend 1: Yes, but there is a cure at the center of camp. Moses spoke to God and God told him to put up a snake statue. All you have to do is look at it and you won't die.
Dying man: That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Leave me alone.
Friend 2: No, really! It's working! Lots of people have been bitten, but they live because they looked at the snake. We're here to carry you to the center of camp, where the snake statue is located.
Dying man: Why didn't God just take away the snakes? Or take away their poison? Or just heal everyone? He could have done that instead of making sick and dying people go all the way to the center of the camp.
Friend 1: Who am I to question God? All I know is he has delivered us from certain death. Let's go!
Dying man (refusing to be moved to the stretcher): You two are crazy! Leave me alone to die in peace.
Friends leave in great frustration. Man dies alone in his tent.
Something to think about --
Jesus has been lifted up.
Do these two scenes still take place today?
John <><
Yesterday morning I made it to early service at The Venues and dropped off some hand warmers and foot warmers for our homeless friends as well as a bag of groceries for the food drive. Participating in the community service projects at The Venues is one of the things I like best about the place.
After dropping my stuff off at the proper places, I enjoyed the morning worship and Rev Dev's take on the classic children's story of Noah and the Ark.
Since we're in a series that takes the stories we heard as children and puts a more adult spin on them, be prepared to have your understanding of the biblical story challenged if you choose to listen to it here.
After 1st service I joined the welcome crew and volunteered to greet people as they came in for the 2nd service and then joined the high school kids for their class. Part of the class recapped the Gospel of John daily devotion and part of it addressed some of their questions about God, about suffering in the world, about choices and consequences, etc. Hopefully some of the other stories of the bible helped them to better understand God.
Speaking of other stories of the bible...
I want to backtrack to John 3. In verses 14 and 15, Jesus says, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."
To understand what he was talking about we have to go back to a story told in the Old Testament Book of Numbers. You can read it for yourself here or I can give you my take on it.
It seems that the Israelites were getting pretty tired of the whole wilderness wandering thing and began to gripe about it to Moses. "Why'd you have to bring us out here to die? We could have stayed in Egypt. It's the frickin' desert, for cryin' out loud! There's no water, no food, and we are tired of this worthless manna stuff!"
So God gets a little ticked at the ungrateful brats and sends poisonous snakes into the camp. People get bitten by the snakes and they die. Now the people are crying out to Moses, "We're sorry! We're sorry! Tell God we're sorry so he'll take the snakes away!"
Moses intercedes and God tells him to make a bronze snake, put it on a pole, and set it in the middle of the camp. If anyone gets bitten by a snake, all they have to do is look at the bronze snake and they'll live.
That's it. That's the story.
I wonder how that worked out for them. I know I'm a little weird, but I wonder about a couple of things...
First, I notice that God didn't do what the people asked by taking away the snakes. It seems they still had to deal with the pain and fear of getting attacked and bitten by the snakes. God did provide a way for them to escape the consequences of the bite. They didn't have to die.
Second, that's a pretty bizarre way to deliver them from the death sentence of a snake bite. I wonder if there were Israelites that died because they just didn't believe that looking at a snake statue could save them? Or maybe there were people that never heard about the snake in center of the camp and so they died. I mean this is a big camp -- a few million people! And it's not like they had group text available to them or could Google "How not to die from a snake bite."
In my weird head, I see a couple of scenarios playing out in the camp city of the Israelites.
Scene 1
Two men walking through the camp.
Yosef: Hey, I heard that Saul got bitten by a snake last night.
Samuel: Oh crap! Has anyone told him about the snake statue by the Tabernacle?
Yosef: Surely, he knows, right?
Samuel: I don't know. It's pretty new news. Why don't you swing by his tent and check. I would but it's a little too far out of my way.
Yosef: Man, I've got to get this manna home so my wife can fix breakfast for the kids. I'm sure one of of his neighbors or other friends have told him.
Samuel: Yeah, you're probably right.
Saul dies in his tent, never having heard about the saving power of the bronze snake.
Scene 2
A man lies on his bed, dying from a snake bite. He is in agony and afraid of dying.
A couple of friends burst into his tent with a stretcher made of skins and poles and begin to move him from his bed to the stretcher.
Dying man: What are you doing? Leave me alone! Can't you see I'm dying?
Friend 1: Yes, but there is a cure at the center of camp. Moses spoke to God and God told him to put up a snake statue. All you have to do is look at it and you won't die.
Dying man: That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Leave me alone.
Friend 2: No, really! It's working! Lots of people have been bitten, but they live because they looked at the snake. We're here to carry you to the center of camp, where the snake statue is located.
Dying man: Why didn't God just take away the snakes? Or take away their poison? Or just heal everyone? He could have done that instead of making sick and dying people go all the way to the center of the camp.
Friend 1: Who am I to question God? All I know is he has delivered us from certain death. Let's go!
Dying man (refusing to be moved to the stretcher): You two are crazy! Leave me alone to die in peace.
Friends leave in great frustration. Man dies alone in his tent.
Something to think about --
Jesus has been lifted up.
Do these two scenes still take place today?
John <><
Saturday, January 26, 2019
John, Chapter 21 -- Story Time with Pastor John
John 21
This might be my favorite story in the Bible!
It is a story that captures so much of what we often miss as we struggle to follow Jesus. I'm going to dispense with the format I've been using for the first 20 chapters and revert to a more comfortable and laid back format of Story Time with Pastor John.
Here's the background -- Jesus is dead and missing. Although he has appeared to the disciples a few times, they feel lost and alone and are still worried about the Jewish leadership and what might become of them.
Peter says, "I'm going fishing! Who's with me?" and six others join him.
It is important that we see what is really happening here. Peter is not talking about going fishing to relax and figure things out. He is returning to his old way of life. He goes back to his commercial fishing boats and out to fish to make a living -- the same thing he was doing when Jesus first found him. His partner (his brother Andrew) and fellow disciples and former fishermen James and John are with him. A few others come along to help. They have their big boats and their big nets...but they catch nothing.
At daybreak a man calls to them from the shore and asks if they have any fish. When they tell him no, he says to cast their nets to the other side. They do this and the nets are loaded to the breaking point. John recognizes the man is Jesus. Peter dives in and heads for shore as the rest of them struggle to bring in their catch. You can tell that John is a fisherman because he records the size of the catch -- 153 large fish!
They eat breakfast and share another meal with Jesus. Then Peter and Jesus take a little walk.
I'm going to skip the "Do you love me?" sermon. We can cover that another time. Jesus finishes that exchange with the same call he gave to Peter when he first met him more than three years prior. He says, "Follow me."
Peter was distracted by John, who was close by, and asked Jesus, "What about him?"
Jesus basically looks at Peter and says, "Hey! Look at me! What is between him and me is none of your business. You, follow me!"
What I get from this final lesson in John's gospel is that once you have a meaningful encounter with God and start following Jesus, you can never really go back to being the person you were before. C.S. Lewis says that God is unscrupulous in his pursuit of us. I say, "He is going to hunt you down!"
And like Peter, we often concern ourselves with how other people are living their Christian lives. I think Jesus would say to us, "Hey! Look at me! What is between them and me is none of your business. You, follow me!"
I would never suggest that you become one of my followers nor would I expect you live according to my teachings. But I will challenge you to study the life of Jesus and live according to what he taught.
I encourage you to live a life of love and to value each life you encounter as you see that we are all created in the image of God. The call of Jesus is simple and it doesn't change.
He says, "Follow me."
John <><
This might be my favorite story in the Bible!
It is a story that captures so much of what we often miss as we struggle to follow Jesus. I'm going to dispense with the format I've been using for the first 20 chapters and revert to a more comfortable and laid back format of Story Time with Pastor John.
Here's the background -- Jesus is dead and missing. Although he has appeared to the disciples a few times, they feel lost and alone and are still worried about the Jewish leadership and what might become of them.
Peter says, "I'm going fishing! Who's with me?" and six others join him.
It is important that we see what is really happening here. Peter is not talking about going fishing to relax and figure things out. He is returning to his old way of life. He goes back to his commercial fishing boats and out to fish to make a living -- the same thing he was doing when Jesus first found him. His partner (his brother Andrew) and fellow disciples and former fishermen James and John are with him. A few others come along to help. They have their big boats and their big nets...but they catch nothing.
At daybreak a man calls to them from the shore and asks if they have any fish. When they tell him no, he says to cast their nets to the other side. They do this and the nets are loaded to the breaking point. John recognizes the man is Jesus. Peter dives in and heads for shore as the rest of them struggle to bring in their catch. You can tell that John is a fisherman because he records the size of the catch -- 153 large fish!
They eat breakfast and share another meal with Jesus. Then Peter and Jesus take a little walk.
I'm going to skip the "Do you love me?" sermon. We can cover that another time. Jesus finishes that exchange with the same call he gave to Peter when he first met him more than three years prior. He says, "Follow me."
Peter was distracted by John, who was close by, and asked Jesus, "What about him?"
Jesus basically looks at Peter and says, "Hey! Look at me! What is between him and me is none of your business. You, follow me!"
What I get from this final lesson in John's gospel is that once you have a meaningful encounter with God and start following Jesus, you can never really go back to being the person you were before. C.S. Lewis says that God is unscrupulous in his pursuit of us. I say, "He is going to hunt you down!"
And like Peter, we often concern ourselves with how other people are living their Christian lives. I think Jesus would say to us, "Hey! Look at me! What is between them and me is none of your business. You, follow me!"
I would never suggest that you become one of my followers nor would I expect you live according to my teachings. But I will challenge you to study the life of Jesus and live according to what he taught.
I encourage you to live a life of love and to value each life you encounter as you see that we are all created in the image of God. The call of Jesus is simple and it doesn't change.
He says, "Follow me."
John <><
Friday, January 25, 2019
John, Chapter 20
John 20
In summary --
This is the simple story of the resurrection. Mary finds the tomb has been opened and tells the disciples. Peter and John check it out -- yep, it's empty, and they leave to tell the others. Mary looks in the tomb and sees two men (angels) where Jesus' body had been; then she turns and sees Jesus.
Later, Jesus appears to the disciples (in a locked room) to show them that he has risen and is alive. He gives them his peace and the Holy Spirit and sends them out to continue the work.
My favorite verse --
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John wants us to know that Jesus is God. He has written this account so that we might believe.
We need to remember that as we read John's gospel -- it is more about teaching that Jesus is God than it is about history. Although the events happened and the teaching of Jesus is true, they are not recorded from the standpoint of an historical perspective, but to teach us that God loves us so much that he became one of us so that we could understand that.
Something to think about --
The resurrection (re-birth) of Jesus was much like his birth. It happened quietly and few people knew about it. Angels announced his birth to shepherds who had such a poor reputation for telling the truth that they weren't even allowed to testify in court. At the tomb, the angels appeared to Mary and then Jesus appeared to her -- a woman! A woman's word was worth less than the word of a lying shepherd!
It is difficult for me to grasp that I have been chosen to tell people that God loves them and Jesus died for them. But then again, it seems that God has a habit of choosing unlikely messengers. If you follow Jesus' teachings and believe he is the Son of God, he has chosen you, as well!
He has chosen you for heaven, and he has chosen you to share this simple message -- God loves you and Jesus died for you!
John <><
In summary --
This is the simple story of the resurrection. Mary finds the tomb has been opened and tells the disciples. Peter and John check it out -- yep, it's empty, and they leave to tell the others. Mary looks in the tomb and sees two men (angels) where Jesus' body had been; then she turns and sees Jesus.
Later, Jesus appears to the disciples (in a locked room) to show them that he has risen and is alive. He gives them his peace and the Holy Spirit and sends them out to continue the work.
My favorite verse --
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John wants us to know that Jesus is God. He has written this account so that we might believe.
We need to remember that as we read John's gospel -- it is more about teaching that Jesus is God than it is about history. Although the events happened and the teaching of Jesus is true, they are not recorded from the standpoint of an historical perspective, but to teach us that God loves us so much that he became one of us so that we could understand that.
Something to think about --
The resurrection (re-birth) of Jesus was much like his birth. It happened quietly and few people knew about it. Angels announced his birth to shepherds who had such a poor reputation for telling the truth that they weren't even allowed to testify in court. At the tomb, the angels appeared to Mary and then Jesus appeared to her -- a woman! A woman's word was worth less than the word of a lying shepherd!
It is difficult for me to grasp that I have been chosen to tell people that God loves them and Jesus died for them. But then again, it seems that God has a habit of choosing unlikely messengers. If you follow Jesus' teachings and believe he is the Son of God, he has chosen you, as well!
He has chosen you for heaven, and he has chosen you to share this simple message -- God loves you and Jesus died for you!
John <><
Thursday, January 24, 2019
John, Chapter 19
John 19
In summary --
This is the story of the crucifixion.
Because the Jewish High Council doesn't have the authority to sentence Jesus to death under Roman rule, they bring him to the Governor for sentencing. Pilate doesn't see any reason to sentence him to death and the Jews have to work hard to convince him that Jesus deserves to die. Rome doesn't care that the Jews are charging him with blasphemy. They don't believe in the God of the Jews. So the Jews say that Jesus claims to be a King and that makes him a threat to Caesar.
Several times, Pilate tries to release Jesus, but he eventually relents and delivers Jesus to be crucified.
My favorite verse --
17 ...and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of the Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.
In today's vernacular, we use bearing our cross to mean a burden or struggle we live with. In Jesus' day it meant you were about to be executed in the most brutal of ways. Because the people of the day were familiar with crucifixion, none of the gospels tell of its brutality. When you think of something that is extremely painful, you might describe it as excruciating. That word and its meaning come from the pain of crucifixion.
Something to think about --
If this was the end of the story, it would make for a pretty poor religion to follow. Oh sure, the teachings of Jesus are still good -- except for that eternal life thing. I'm not sure how that works if God is dead and buried. But this isn't the end of the story. In some ways, it's just the beginning...
John <><
Here's a little bonus for you.
In summary --
This is the story of the crucifixion.
Because the Jewish High Council doesn't have the authority to sentence Jesus to death under Roman rule, they bring him to the Governor for sentencing. Pilate doesn't see any reason to sentence him to death and the Jews have to work hard to convince him that Jesus deserves to die. Rome doesn't care that the Jews are charging him with blasphemy. They don't believe in the God of the Jews. So the Jews say that Jesus claims to be a King and that makes him a threat to Caesar.
Several times, Pilate tries to release Jesus, but he eventually relents and delivers Jesus to be crucified.
My favorite verse --
17 ...and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of the Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.
In today's vernacular, we use bearing our cross to mean a burden or struggle we live with. In Jesus' day it meant you were about to be executed in the most brutal of ways. Because the people of the day were familiar with crucifixion, none of the gospels tell of its brutality. When you think of something that is extremely painful, you might describe it as excruciating. That word and its meaning come from the pain of crucifixion.
Something to think about --
If this was the end of the story, it would make for a pretty poor religion to follow. Oh sure, the teachings of Jesus are still good -- except for that eternal life thing. I'm not sure how that works if God is dead and buried. But this isn't the end of the story. In some ways, it's just the beginning...
John <><
Here's a little bonus for you.
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
John, Chapter 18
John 18
In summary --
Oh my! There is so much in this chapter!
There is the betrayal of Jesus that led to his arrest, the questioning by the former High Priest, the denial of Peter, the questions from the current High Priest, more denial from Peter, the questioning by Pilate, the governor of Roman Empire, and finally Jesus' declaration that his kingdom is not of this world.
My favorite verse --
36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not of this world."
Something to think about --
Jesus' kingdom is not of this world.
His servants -- the army of heaven -- would fight to defend him and his kingdom.
As his followers, we are not of this world.
Yes, we live in this world, but we have a far greater purpose than the day to day struggle of living this earthly life.
In the last chapter, Jesus gave us his glory. He said we are one with him and one with God. The army of heaven will defend us. So often we concern ourselves only with the things of this world, but we are eternal beings and not of this world. It is difficult to remember that our purpose may be bigger than our struggles. In the midst of our trials, we often miss the simple ways that we encourage others.
Hang in there.
If you are struggling with something, seek help. If you think this life is no longer worth living, reach out to someone.
If you think you have no one that cares, the suicide hotline number is 1-800-273-8255.
John <><
In summary --
Oh my! There is so much in this chapter!
There is the betrayal of Jesus that led to his arrest, the questioning by the former High Priest, the denial of Peter, the questions from the current High Priest, more denial from Peter, the questioning by Pilate, the governor of Roman Empire, and finally Jesus' declaration that his kingdom is not of this world.
My favorite verse --
36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not of this world."
Something to think about --
Jesus' kingdom is not of this world.
His servants -- the army of heaven -- would fight to defend him and his kingdom.
As his followers, we are not of this world.
Yes, we live in this world, but we have a far greater purpose than the day to day struggle of living this earthly life.
In the last chapter, Jesus gave us his glory. He said we are one with him and one with God. The army of heaven will defend us. So often we concern ourselves only with the things of this world, but we are eternal beings and not of this world. It is difficult to remember that our purpose may be bigger than our struggles. In the midst of our trials, we often miss the simple ways that we encourage others.
Hang in there.
If you are struggling with something, seek help. If you think this life is no longer worth living, reach out to someone.
If you think you have no one that cares, the suicide hotline number is 1-800-273-8255.
John <><
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Breakfast experiment
By now, most of you know that I am a peanut butter fan!
I use peanut butter on sandwiches the way most people use mayonnaise.
So it got me thinking...
I am also a fan of spicy heat. I have this one hot sauce that is rated 600,000 Scoville heat units (SHU). For reference, jalapeno peppers are 5 to 10,000 SHU. For sandwiches, I put my mayo on the bread (without spreading it out) and then dip a toothpick about halfway into the hot sauce and pull it out. Then I clean the sauce off of the toothpick in the mayo, mix it well and spread it out. That's pretty good for me. It's not too hot, but you will definitely feel the burn.
What if I did the same thing with peanut butter?
One of the advantages of super hot sauces is that because you use so little, you get the heat without adding much flavor. In retrospect, I can't believe I didn't think of this before!
Today's breakfast sandwich: egg, deli ham, pork roast, peanut butter w/Mad Dog 357 sauce on toast.
Oh my!
Spicy hot peanut butter!
I think heaven has just shared one of its secrets with me!
John <><
Warning: When handling hot sauces, always wash your hands before using the bathroom!
I use peanut butter on sandwiches the way most people use mayonnaise.
So it got me thinking...
I am also a fan of spicy heat. I have this one hot sauce that is rated 600,000 Scoville heat units (SHU). For reference, jalapeno peppers are 5 to 10,000 SHU. For sandwiches, I put my mayo on the bread (without spreading it out) and then dip a toothpick about halfway into the hot sauce and pull it out. Then I clean the sauce off of the toothpick in the mayo, mix it well and spread it out. That's pretty good for me. It's not too hot, but you will definitely feel the burn.
What if I did the same thing with peanut butter?
One of the advantages of super hot sauces is that because you use so little, you get the heat without adding much flavor. In retrospect, I can't believe I didn't think of this before!
Today's breakfast sandwich: egg, deli ham, pork roast, peanut butter w/Mad Dog 357 sauce on toast.
Oh my!
Spicy hot peanut butter!
I think heaven has just shared one of its secrets with me!
John <><
Warning: When handling hot sauces, always wash your hands before using the bathroom!
John, Chapter 17
John 17
In summary --
This is a pretty cool chapter. It is often called the High Priestly Prayer. In it, Jesus prays for his disciples. He not only prays on their behalf, but he prays out loud so that they hear him praying for them. Beginning is verse 20, he prays for us -- those that will believe in him!
My favorite verse --
20 "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word..."
Two thousand years ago Jesus prayed for us and it is recorded in John's gospel. Jesus has given his glory to us. We are one with him and one with God.
That's pretty cool!
Something to think about --
God -- the creator of all things -- loves you!
John <><
In summary --
This is a pretty cool chapter. It is often called the High Priestly Prayer. In it, Jesus prays for his disciples. He not only prays on their behalf, but he prays out loud so that they hear him praying for them. Beginning is verse 20, he prays for us -- those that will believe in him!
My favorite verse --
20 "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word..."
Two thousand years ago Jesus prayed for us and it is recorded in John's gospel. Jesus has given his glory to us. We are one with him and one with God.
That's pretty cool!
Something to think about --
God -- the creator of all things -- loves you!
John <><
Monday, January 21, 2019
John, Chapter 16
John 16
In summary --
Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit.
As Jesus continues to prepare his disciples for his departure, he promises to send the Spirit to guide them and to help them understand all that he has taught them. He tells them everything he has is of the Father and he is giving it to the Spirit. Although the Trinity is never called the Trinity in the Bible, we see it here -- Father, Son, Spirit -- all connected, all God, separate manifestations of God and yet one person.
My favorite verse --
33 "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
After Jesus warns them (again) of some of the hardships that are to come, he gives them this verse of encouragement. It is also an encouragement for us and a reminder that we are more than flesh that roams the earth -- we are spirits that live beyond this world.
Something to think about --
When your understanding of the gospel is challenged, ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and understanding. When you are troubled by the world (that includes school, parents, friends, life), ask the Holy Spirit for peace.
Students, remember Sunday's lesson. When you are anxious, God will carry your load. God will give you rest. God will give you peace.
John <><
In summary --
Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit.
As Jesus continues to prepare his disciples for his departure, he promises to send the Spirit to guide them and to help them understand all that he has taught them. He tells them everything he has is of the Father and he is giving it to the Spirit. Although the Trinity is never called the Trinity in the Bible, we see it here -- Father, Son, Spirit -- all connected, all God, separate manifestations of God and yet one person.
My favorite verse --
33 "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
After Jesus warns them (again) of some of the hardships that are to come, he gives them this verse of encouragement. It is also an encouragement for us and a reminder that we are more than flesh that roams the earth -- we are spirits that live beyond this world.
Something to think about --
When your understanding of the gospel is challenged, ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and understanding. When you are troubled by the world (that includes school, parents, friends, life), ask the Holy Spirit for peace.
Students, remember Sunday's lesson. When you are anxious, God will carry your load. God will give you rest. God will give you peace.
John <><
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